A Review of the Federal Conservation Programs in the United States: Examining Motivations, Challenges, and Policy Recommendations for Enhancing the Conservation Reserve Program Adoption

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is the cornerstone of the United States’ agricultural conservation strategy. Since its establishment in 1985, the CRP has played a significant role in promoting the preservation of private-land wildlife, water, and soil. However, a recent comprehensive review of the CRP levels across the United States (U.S.) remains underexplored. Thus, this study holistically reviews the motivations, challenges, and actionable solutions for improving the program and addressing regional enrollment disparities. This review highlights that environmental sustainability and financial incentives are the major motivations for CRP enrollment. Simultaneously, the program’s structural contract, inflexibility, restrictions, and lower rental rates are identified as barriers to its adoption. Recommended actions include outreach programs, redesigning the CRP contract (particularly reducing contract length and restrictions and incentivizing post-CRP contract expiration), and increasing flexibility and rental rates. The authors recommend enhancing the CRP’s targeting of high-impact areas, integrating it with climate goals, and supporting long-term conservation strategies, which can help ensure that the program continues to provide equitable and robust environmental benefits. Future research on comparative studies conducted in various locations in the U.S. may shed light on how regional circumstances affect CRP success, guiding the development of more adaptable and equity-focused program designs.